Just Because

Here are some blurry iPhone pictures of Pippin enjoying the meat off a bone last night, just because. They probably would have been more in focus if I hadn't been laughing so hard. After Pippin picked off the little bits of meat from the bone, he was determined to go hide it somewhere for later. He didn't understand why we wouldn't let him wonder off with it and insisted he had to stay on the towel (we strategically placed on the floor); confusion and hilarity followed.

I'm that embarrassing mom with a camera in your face when you least want it, aren't I?
Regardless, he is the luckiest little pup in the world.

xx Emorie

*For the record, this was completely his granddad's idea. So spoiled.

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Black and Gold Mason Jar DIY

I know that the majority of the time when you see a picture of me on here I appear all pretty and made up, with a pretty outfit and makeup. But the reality of the situation is that most days I don't bother getting out of my 'comfy clothes' (I'm writing this while sporting owl pajama pants and a hand-me-down baggy sweatshirt) or putting on makeup. Which is silly, because I do really like planning outfits and getting dressed up. I like makeup, too. Both of those things make me feel pretty and pretty good about myself (I'm not saying I need pretty clothes and makeup to feel good about myself, but it doesn't ever hurt). So, I guess, I'm trying to encourage myself to get ready a little more.

Will and I bought ourselves a new corner desk for our room with the money we got for christmas and it is so so nice to have a nice place to sit and work (before we had been sitting sideways on a folding chair at a tv cart). It's also great to have an organized pretty room to feel good in. I've been sprucing up and updating other areas of the room in little ways now too. We bought a new bookcase, because it matches the desk and was only $17 on sale at Target! I've got it set up on the wall next to our closet. I finally put up a full length mirror, between the closet any bookcase, and I've decided to use the top of the bookcase to store some of my pretty things, like my earrings and makeup. I think having all of it out it in the open let's me always see my options and also encourages me to wear them more!

But the mason jar I had my makeup brushes stored in just wasn't cutting it anymore. I was improving other areas of the bedrooms in little ways, so why not my makeup storage too? I went for glam, with black and gold; it ties into other areas of the room beautifully and adds just the right amount of glitter for my liking. I chose to paint the inside of the jar, with a gloss acrylic paint, so it would still have that glassy sheen. I didn't want it to look ceramic, like mason jars often do after they've been painted on the outside. I love how it turned out! See how simple it was to create below.




Black and Gold Mason Jar DIY

Supplies Needed:
+ a mason jar
+ black gloss acrylic paint
+ a foam brush
+ wide gold ribbon
+ E 6000 glue
+ black card stock (optional)

Directions:
1. Make sure your jar is thoroughly clean and dry. Squirt a bit of paint directly into the bottom the jar.
2. Start with a small amount and use that to cover as much of the jar as it can before adding more, so you don't get unnecessary buildup.
3. Swirl the paint around in the jar and use a foam brush to evenly spread it around and up the sides in a thin layer.
4. This fourth image is what mine looked like after one coat of paint, nearly completely covered, but you'll want to be real thorough. Let the paint dry for as long as recommend on the bottle and maybe longer as the paint will drip back down to the bottom as it dries.
5. I let my jar sit for 2 1/2 hours before applying another coat of paint. I then let it sit overnight to be sure it was thoroughly dry before placing anything inside it. This fifth image is what my jar looked like after two coats of paint and drying overnight.
6. Decide where you would like the ribbon to wrap around the jar.
7. Using a toothpick thinly apply E 6000 glue to the edges of the ribbon in small sections and apply to the jar. Wrap the ribbon all the way around, pulling it flat and tight as you go.
8. Overlap the ribbon and glue it to itself. Trim any excess ribbon and create a straight seam.
9. Smooth everything out and apply a very thin layer of the glue along the seam to seal it.

Once your jar is completely dry it is ready to use and be filled with whatever you fancy! I cut out a circular piece of black cardstock to fit in the bottom of the jar and simply laid it flat in there before putting in my makeup brushes. This will make cleaning it easier and keep the bottom of the brushes from chipping the paint on the bottom of the jar.



I love how this turned out and looks perfectly custom for the shelf it is on. It goes great with my pretty jewelry stand and little box, don't you think? Do you have any clever/cute storage ideas that you use?

xx Emorie

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Goals for 2014

Hello, 2014. I like how you're feeling so far.

If you've been a reader here for awhile, I'm sure you've noticed my monthly goals posts. I really enjoy posting them, for very selfish reason. It is a great way for me to check in and evaluate how I am doing in many different aspects of my life. I much more enjoy setting small, simple goals each month that are attainable and beneficial rather than playing into the hype of a yearly resolution. In my own past experience, resolutions were never mapped out well and quickly dropped or forgotten completely. But, as I've previously talked about, I do still love using this time at a new year to reflect over the year previous and think of areas that still need improvement. I'm combining the two a bit this time around and outlining several long term goals I have for the year that will then be further broken down into smaller attainable goals as each month goes on.

I'm so excited for some changes, for learning, for growth, and to take everything as it comes.

GOALS FOR 2014

Blog Life
+ Be more of a creator and less of a blogger.
To be honest, there have been quite a few times recently where I have felt extremely and entirely BLEH about blogging lately. I think this happens primarily when I am posting just to have something up or when I am creating just for blogging content and not because it is really something I wanted to do. I do love blogging, and I love sharing parts of my life here with you as well as projects I am excited about. But I think what I really need to do is leave all of these preconceptions I have about what blogging is, what it is suppose to be, and how I've been doing it behind. My true passions are creating and expressing; I want this place to be reflective of that first and foremost.

+ Open Shop.
You've probably noticed that there is a little link up there in the header that says 'design' and that it has linked to absolutely nothing and has since it existed. Well, actually, it links to a picture of Pippin because that little face makes everyone a little happier. Just know that there are things in the works and that everything around here will be changing quite a bit over the course of the next year. I couldn't be more excited (and scared) about it.

+ Expand as needed and accept changes (because usually they're good things).
Kind of in line with the first two things I want to work on for my blog this year, I have plans to change quite a few things up and as a result hopefully experience some growth. I don't want to be reluctant to any of these changes or hold back in the slightest.

Real Life 
+ Create a integrative schedule to get moving.
I miss being fit and feeling strong, confident, and highly focused. I want to try to integrate yoga more into my schedule, so will most likely be looking for some refreshing morning routines to try. I want to challenge myself physically again too and add a few days of lifting and toning a week. I'm all about workouts that take little time and can fit seamlessly into your day but are still going to push you to be better. I'm excited to get started!

+ Read at least one book a month.
I love reading and I always have and it is something I do regularly. I have a tendency, though, to hang on to books for a really long time. I really like to savor them, and to me that generally means taking my time with them. But my reading list has gotten unbelievably long and I want more. I've mostly been reading A Dance with Dragons the past month or so, limiting myself to two-ish chapters a night (because the next installment hasn't been released yet). I've finally realized how silly this is and I'm ready to finish and start other books. I want to push myself to read different types of literature, too, because I tend to stick to my favorites, Sci-Fi and Fantasy, 90% of the time. There is so much more out there!

+ More unplugged days.
As much as my recent blogging hiatus was very much unplanned, it was certainly needed and appreciated. I plan on scheduling, purposely, a few breaks from blogging throughout the year this time around. Planning some posts ahead of time will be worth it, to get a refreshing break from my sometimes tedious blogging schedule to relax, reflect, and reevaluate where things are headed.

+ Learn new things.
I want to carve out more time this year to learn new things and try out some new hobbies. I want this next year to be remembered as the year that I pushed boundaries and sought out ways to improve myself. I've always wanted to be great at calligraphy, why not now? Maybe I should finally act on my dream to be a part of a roller derby. My goal is to try out something entirely new once a month, all year long. I'll be sure to share these adventures with you.

I just want to continue trying to be the best version of myself. You know? What are some goals you're setting for yourself this year?
xx Emorie

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Here's to Another Year

I've been thinking a lot lately about where I was personally this time last year, where I've been since then, and where I am now. It's strange, looking back at all those moments as a whole, trying to trace the path that got me from there to here. On the surface, it may not seem that much has changed for me. I am living in the same place, I am unemployed again, I am in the same relationship. But I can honestly say that the person I have grown into this year is vastly different from the girl I was. I've accomplished a lot this year for myself. I started this blog, for one. That was a huge goal of mine for years (yes, years). I am incredibly happy, which is something I don't think I would have said last year. I am getting better every single day at managing my anxiety. I am learning to move past so many of my fears. I am learning, growing, and loving.

Looking forward, I always have a tendency to expect so much from myself. As humans, we tend to be slightly a little too optimistic about what we can do in the future, but I think this is a good thing. Sure, I am no where close to where I envisioned for myself at the beginning of the year, but life happens and setting goals is still important to me. I think that may be the most important part of looking back over the year we are completing, recognizing all of the unexpected hardships that you encountered and acknowledging that you accepted them for what they were and made it through regardless. Let's all pat ourselves on the back for that.

I know that this year was a hard one for me, but for all of those struggles I have far more joy to look back on. So many great memories were made this year and I'm proud of all I have accomplished.

A few favorite posts/things from this year, in chronological order

+ Lots of random drives with my loves: It Pays to Take the Back Roads
+ Having a little lake all to ourselves for some canoeing, camping, exploring, and love celebrating: Anniversary Weekend Camping at Little Payette Lake
+ This is Why I'm Happy
+ My first set of hair tutorials, back when I had quite a bit more hair to work with: The Criss-Cross Applesauce, The Upside Down and Around, and The Bohemian Wrap
+ Learning to be happy while being away from Will for the first time in our relationship was hard, but I did manage to function normally without any communication with him while he did field work this summer. Hopefully I'll be better when that occurs again this summer. A Little Lonely Lately.
+ Our backpacking trip in the Sawtooths this September did not go according to plan, but it was still one of the best trips of my life. I will hold all of those memories so dear. Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 of the trip.
+ I got to tag along with Will for one of his work trips. It wasn't too eventful, but it was a lovely little getaway. And a real treat for me because I miss northern Idaho so much: Fish Creek
+ I had so much fun making our Halloween costumes this year and they were a big hit! I'm not quite sure what to do with them now, though. Our Halloween Costume: PACMAN and MS PACMAN
+ That one time I thought I completely ruined my bangs and then ended up really loving it: Oops I Cut My Hair Again
+ I started a new series called Inspiring People I've Met Online. Look out for more remarkable people to be featured in this series this next year.
+ We actually went out and did a lot of festive things this holiday season, like going the the Tree Lighting and walking around Winter Garden aGlow. This december has been Magic.

It was so much fun going back through these posts (particularly the trips we took) and being able to read my account right along with some of my favorite pictures from the events. I'm remembering that this is the number one reason why I blog and what I continue to love about doing so. I love documenting these memories for us and allowing them to be easy to recall. This is something I want to work on further this new year, specifically in also capturing those smaller everyday memories and special moments as well.

Happy New Year! Have a fun, safe night celebrating a new beginning.
xx Emorie

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Snippets: Holidays, Love, and Exhaustion

Life lately, according to iPhone pictures:

01 Pippin before and / 02 after falling through the ice on a pond (he was chasing ducks) / 03 yummy veggie sandwich / 04 me at my birthday lunch / 05 bluebird, my new favorite lunch place / 06 barrettes make me feel less lazy about my hair styling choices / 07 wrapping gifts and a confused Pippin / 08 christmas eve at Will's family's house, Pippin matched the gifts a bit / 09 Pippin with his christmas treats / 10 christmas morning with my family / 11 a new bookcase to match our new corner desk, the jewelry stand was a gift from my sister and that pretty antique horn box was a gift from a friend / 12 the blanket my mom gave us for christmas goes perfectly in our room / 13 an exhausted Pippin snuggling clean laundry / 14 some favorite gifts from some favorite people / 15 sick but a cute sweater

Hello there, lovelies. I hope you're still there. I'm back from a rather lengthy blogging break that wasn't planned/intended/expected but that happened regardless. I'm actually glad that it did. I have been going nonstop for the past few weeks. Between getting gifts done and crafted, christmas shopping, commitments to friends and family, spending time with friends and family, the holidays, traditions, new traditions, surprises, unplanned issues, trying to push out blog content, and other things I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention, I got really exhausted. And Will got sick. And then I got sick (I'm still sick). The holidays tend to be a busy time for everyone, so I"m sure you understand that I got overwhelmed and instinctively cut out what I didn't have the time or energy for without much thought. I hope you'll forgive my absence here. More importantly, at the top of my ignore list has definitely been my blog email inbox (which, ironically has gotten more traffic lately than ever before). So, if you've emailed me in the past month-ish I promise I'll read your messages and get back to you this week.

Cutting out most of my responsibilities here for the past few weeks (I had set those hair tutorials to post in advance, so really, it's been awhile) really allowed me to slow down a bit, as much as one can around the holidays, and really enjoy time with those I love. Which is what this season is all about. I had a wonderful christmas with both of my families. And I had a lot of time to think about this blog and the direction I want to take it this next year. I've set a lot of goals for myself that I am really excited about that I can't wait to share with you.

I hope you've been well since last I've been around. I hope you had a wonderful time with family over the holidays, if that is what you do. I'm so excited to get caught up with all of you and start this new year feeling fresh. I hope you'll be around for it all! Thank you for reading.

xx Emorie

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Holiday Hair for Shorties: Easy Retro Curls

I first styled my hair like this for my birthday dinner, out at a nice restaurant, with my family. I liked it so much that I've worn my hair this way several times since then. I was really wanting to style it into some finger waves, but not only is that a tricky technique to master but it is terribly time consuming. But I love retro waves and curls, so I decided to go for something a little simpler (and much less time consuming) while still trying to embody that retro feel into the look. I know for a fact that these curls aren't an authentic vintage look, and I'm not quite sure what the technique I used could even be called.  But this hair style does make me feel very classy, sophisticated, and pretty. I'll call that a win.

These retro inspired curls are the third tutorial in my Holiday Hair for Shorties miniseries. See instructions for how I created the look below.



Easy Retro Curls for Short Hair Tutorial:

1. Begin by combing through your hair thoroughly to remove any tangles.
2. You'll want to to work in fairly small sections at a time. Take a one inch section of hair from the tap layer of hair and run some styling putting through it.
3. Curl this strand away from your face using a curling iron, holding for 10 seconds or so to set the curl.
4. While the curl is still warm, use your fingers to curl it up into itself. Twist it all the way up to the base and pin it in place onto your scalp. Duck clips probably work best, but I used bobby pins just fine.
5. Take the next strand of hair over and repeat steps 2-4. 
6. When done with the top layer of hair, move onto the next layer and curl and pin those sections in the same manner until all hair on one side of your hair is pinned and curled. The hair at the back of my head is too short to curl this way, so I leave it alone for now.
7. Continue the entire process on the other side of your head, curling each section and pinning the curl while it is still warm. 
8. Once you have completed both sides, give everything a good spray of hairspray. Making that face I did is optional. Let the hair sit for a bit.
9. While you let the curls sit and set, curl the back of your head. I like to just curl these hair down, the ones that are long enough to curl, anyway. The face I made here is optional too. My hair takes to curls very quickly so I only let it sit like this for about 10 minutes. You shouldn't have to let it sit for too long.
10. After letting it sit, pull the pins out.
11. Your hair will likely look a little stiff and silly once all the pins are taken out, but don't worry, we'll fix it. 
12. Use a brush to comb out and through the curls and shape them as desired. Give everything a final spray when you like how it looks. 

Pair with some simple drop down earrings for a really elegant look.

xx Emorie

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